A Review on Resource-Constrained Embedded Vision Systems-Based Tiny Machine Learning for Robotic Applications

The evolution of low-cost embedded systems is growing exponentially; likewise, their use in robotics applications aims to achieve critical task execution by implementing sophisticated control and computer vision algorithms. We review the state-of-the-art strategies available for Tiny Machine Learning (TinyML) implementation to provide a complete overview using various existing embedded vision and control systems. Our discussion divides the article into four critical aspects that high-cost and low-cost embedded systems must include to execute real-time control and image processing tasks, applying TinyML techniques: Hardware Architecture, Vision System, Power Consumption, and Embedded Software Platform development environment. The advantages and disadvantages of the reviewed systems are presented. Subsequently, the perspectives of them for the next ten years are present. A basic TinyML implementation for embedded vision application using three low-cost embedded systems, Raspberry Pi Pico, ESP32, and Arduino Nano 33 BLE Sense, is presented for performance analysis.